CABELL COUNTY, W.Va. - A force majeure affecting the Mountaineer XPress natural gas pipeline remains in effect Friday as Columbia Gas Transmission crews work to repair a leak at a regulator station in West Virginia.
Columbia Gas Transmission, known as TCO, said Friday morning that work required by the force majeure is ongoing and that crews are working to remedy the problem.
The company now expects the force majeure and associated capacity restrictions to remain in effect through the upcoming weekend trading period covering gas days Sept. 26 through Sept. 28.
TCO said it plans to provide another update by Sunday, Sept. 27.
Leak detected Thursday morning
The latest notice provides additional detail about the mechanical problem that triggered the disruption.
TCO said personnel detected a natural gas leak Thursday morning on Mountaineer XPress Line 100 at the Saunders Creek Regulator Station.
The station is located in Cabell County in western West Virginia.
The company said the situation was confined to the Saunders Creek Regulator Station.
Crews coordinated with upstream operators to reduce pressure and isolate the station as part of the assessment and repair process.
The company had initially described the event as an unexpected mechanical issue requiring an immediate pressure reduction between the Mt. Olive Compressor Station and the Saunders Creek Regulator Station.
Force majeure declared
TCO declared force majeure effective for gas day Sept. 24 under provisions of its Federal Energy Regulatory Commission tariff.
A force majeure allows a pipeline operator to suspend or reduce contractual service when an event outside normal operating circumstances prevents the system from operating as scheduled.
The company said the pressure reduction was necessary to maintain the safety and reliability of the pipeline system.
Scheduled volumes through the MXPSEG MA42 internal constraint were initially reduced during Thursday's intraday cycle.
Beginning with the timely cycle for Friday, Sept. 25, TCO reduced capacity through that constraint to zero.
Approximately 1.8 million dekatherms per day of firm transportation service were estimated to be affected based on nominations when the initial notice was issued.
Restriction remains in place
Friday's update says the capacity reduction through MXPSEG remains in effect.
The company has not announced a firm date for restoring normal service.
Instead, TCO said current outage logistics indicate the restriction will continue through at least the Sept. 26-28 weekend period.
Another operational update is expected Sunday.
No broader public emergency announced
The latest pipeline notices characterize the incident as an operational and capacity problem centered on the Saunders Creek Regulator Station.
No evacuation, injury report or broader public-safety emergency was announced in the notices reviewed Friday morning.
The company's previous update specifically said the situation was confined to the regulator station.
That means the primary reported impact remains the reduction in pipeline transportation capacity rather than a wider community emergency.
Major Appalachian gas route
Mountaineer XPress is a major natural gas transportation system running through West Virginia.
The pipeline carries Marcellus and Utica shale gas south through the state and into Columbia Gas Transmission's broader interstate network.
The system has approximately 2.7 billion cubic feet per day of transportation capacity.
Its Line 100 segment extends roughly 164 miles through West Virginia and connects Appalachian production with regional and southern markets.
The system ultimately provides access to markets in the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and Southeast through connections with other interstate pipelines.
Potential market impact
A prolonged restriction can leave producers with fewer options for moving Appalachian natural gas to downstream markets.
That can require gas to be rerouted through other pipelines or lead producers to reduce output if sufficient alternate transportation capacity is unavailable.
Natural gas futures rose sharply after the outage was first reported Thursday, although energy prices can move for numerous reasons and the pipeline problem is only one factor affecting the market.
What happens next
Crews remain focused on repairing the equipment and restoring the affected portion of the Mountaineer XPress system.
TCO has not announced that the force majeure has been lifted or that full transportation capacity has been restored.
The next company update is expected by Sunday, Sept. 27.
Until then, the capacity restriction remains active through the weekend trading period.